NYX | Jumbo Multi-Use Face Highlighter Sticks | Review & Tutorial

 

Hey Beauties!

 Hope you’re fall is going well so far and is full of fun activities (I went to a Corn Maze!😆) and cozy sweaters. 

Today I have a review and tutorial for you of some incredible multi-use beauty sticks that are super affordable.

Yes, today I’m finally reviewing NYX Cosmetics Jumbo Multi-Use Face Highlighter Sticks!

So get ready to hit 'add to cart' and read on for my review and tutorial of these awesome makeup products!

You can watch my video review & tutorial here

Review

These cream face sticks come in six gorgeous shades and retail for about $8.

So, for under 10 bucks you can have a makeup stick that will cover almost all of your product needs.

 

I bought mine at Ulta and picked out the shades Vanilla Ice Cream, Lemon Meringue, and Blueberry Muffin. 

A truly tasty trio of shades (alliteration at its finest).

The three additional shades that I didn't purchase (yet) are varying degrees of bronze.

When they called these sticks “multi-use” they were not kidding. 

Each stick can be used as an eyeshadow, highlighter, blush, bronzer/contour, and lip color. 

They pair nicely together and layer well too.

Another cool aspect of these sticks is the bottoms twist up so you don't need to worry about sharpening!

The cream formula is beautifully blendable. They are soft enough to blend with just your fingertips so they melt into your skin and give you the loveliest lit-from-within glow. 

But they aren't so soft that they break upon applying normal pressure.

They have a stunning pearl finish that is also just the slightest bit dewy. 

They give the skin a multi-dimensional shine that changes depending on the lighting of the room. 

Coverage for these sticks is truly buildable. 

You can get a sheer effect by just adding a few strokes of a shade and blending it out with your finger. Or you can get a super saturated look just by adding more layers of the shade. 

Quick Stats

Finish: Pearl/Dewy

Formula: Cream

Fallout: None

Smudges/Steaks/Runs: No/No/No

Blendable: YES!

Lasts for: Approximately 6-hours

Shade: Lemon Meringue Pie

A coppery bronze with a gold pearl finish.

The red undertones contrast lovely with the gold shimmer flecks.

Lemon Meringue works great as an eyeshadow, bronzer, contour, or even a lipstick.

Shade: Blueberry Muffin

Magenta pink with an iridescent violet pearl finish.

The iridescent pigments give a gorgeous finish that sparkles violet, blue, or white depending on how the light catches it.

Blueberry Muffin works well as a lip color, blush, or an eyeshadow.

Shade: Vanilla Ice Cream

Snow white with a silver/white pearl finish.

Although the finish on Vanilla Ice Cream is pearl, it also has a beautiful frosty appearance that is extra pretty on the eyes.

Vanilla Ice Cream is excellent for highlighting the brow bone, inner corners of eyes, cheek bones, and cupid's bow of the lip.

Pros: Ultra blendable.

Incredibly buildable and perfect for layering.

Fantastic pearl finishes for a stunning glow

Even once it starts to fade it still leaves a pretty highlight.

 Cons: Staying power is good but not great.

As with most cream formulas it begins to fade after a few hours.

 

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⋆ (4 out of 5)

Would I Re-Purchase: Yes.

 

Final Thoughts: Gorgeous shades, out of this world finishes along with easy blending and buildable coverage makes these face sticks an unbelievable steal!

Tutorial

Now that we have explored the absolute beauty of these face sticks, here is a tutorial of one of the many ways you can use them.

You can catch my video tutorial here

1. Lemon Meringue Lids: Use the highlighter stick in the shade Lemon Meringue (Copper-Bronze shade) and swipe it all over your eye lids. 

Then use your finger to blend and soften the shade. 

Blend it up just a little into the crease of your eye.

2. Vanilla Ice Cream & Black Eyeshadow: Next grab the shade Vanilla Ice Cream (Snow White shade) and run that through your brow bone. 

Smudge that with your finger bringing it just out of the outer corner of your eye.

Also, add Vanilla Ice Cream to the inner corners of your eyes and just at the beginning of your lower lash line. 

Gently use your finger to blend the shade into the inner corners and lightly towards the bridge of your nose.

Take a matte black eyeshadow on a small angled brush and lightly press it along your top lash line, just for a little definition.

3. Mascara + a Second Slice of Lemon Meringue: With a volumizing mascara coat your top and bottom lashes.

Take the Lemon Meringue shade once more and trace in between your cheek and jaw bones. 

Use your fingers to pat and blend the shade into skin for a soft contour effect.

4. An Extra Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream: Use the Vanilla Ice Cream shade to cover the tops of your cheek bones and down the bridge of your nose. 

Use your fingertips to melt the color into your skin for a nice highlight.

5. Blueberry Muffin a la Mode: Take the shade Blueberry Muffin (Magenta shade) and glide it onto the apples of your cheeks. 

Again, use your fingers (not a lot of brushes for this tutorial) to blend the color in for an iridescent glow.

Swipe more Blueberry Muffin onto your fingertip and rub it onto your lips.

Top it off with some extra Vanilla Ice Cream blended just onto the cupid's bow above your top lip for some additional highlight.

Which will give us our final result...

Our finished NYX Jumbo Multi-Use Face Highlighter Sticks makeup look!!

Lemon Meringue worked beautifully for a bronze-y copper eyeshadow.

And it melted nicely into the skin for a subtle contour effect.

Blueberry Muffin is absolutely perfect for a pop of blush.

And is a gorgeous iridescent lip color too.

Vanilla Ice Cream is the ultimate multi-tasker in this look.

It provides a stunning highlight for the eyes, cheeks and the upper lip.

The Products I Used to Achieve this Look:

 NYX: Jumbo Multi-Use Face Stick in Lemon Meringue

NYX: Jumbo Multi-Use Face Stick in Vanilla Ice Cream

MAC: Carbon Eyeshadow

Beau Gâchis: Eyebrow Brush

Wander Beauty: Mini Unlashed Volume & Curl Mascara in Tarmac

Winky Lux: Peeper Perfect Under-Eye Concealer in Fair

NYX: Jumbo Multi-Use Face Stick in Blueberry Muffin

Again, you can watch my video review and tutorial here

Thank you for reading my review & tutorial of NYX Cosmetics Jumbo Multi-Use Face Highlighter Sticks.

This is just one of the many, many looks you can create with these sticks. 

There are so many possibilities!

Stay tuned for my next review and/or tutorial.

Why not subscribe so you will never miss a post 📬

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Ultima Beauty

Want more makeup fun between blog posts? Check out my social media pages!

Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter

Follow me on Facebook 

Follow me on TikTok 

Follow me on Threads

Subscribe on YouTube

3 Fall 2023 Lipstick Trends | Tutorials

 

Hey Makeup Lovers!

 Today I’m doing another fall 2023 makeup trend for you. Or should I say trends?

There are actually three lipstick looks that are huge for this fall.

They are varying levels of difficulty. But don’t worry, I break each one down for you so you can totally slay whatever lipstick look you like.😎

First of all, red or crimson lips are major this fall. 

They kind of always are (much to my delight, I’m a big red lipstick fan if ya couldn’t tell), but red is very much in style this fall.

The lipstick looks you will be able to achieve after reading this post (and/or watching my video) are: 

1.“Worn-In” Lipstick

2. Blinged Out/Bejeweled Lipstick

3. Bold Ombre Lipstick

 

So get your red lipsticks ready and get set to create some fun, trending lips!

 

 

You can watch my video tutorials here

Which Red is Right for Me?

There are many different answers to this question. And if you Google it you can find a plethora of suggestions based on your skin tone, hair color, etc. 

Great advice. 

But the real answer is: whatever red you like! 

If there is a shade that makes you feel incredibly beautiful and confident, wear it!

Don’t let beauty “rules” dent your confidence. 

If you haven't found a red lipstick you love and are still looking, a good basic guideline is to look at your skin’s undertones (cool, warm, neutral) and go for red shades with the same ones.

Lipstick VS. Liquid Lipstick

Good debate.

The difference between the two?

Traditional lipstick is a solid crayon-like, well, stick. You apply it by gently rubbing it across your lips.

Liquid lipstick is a liquid pigment that requires a little more precision when gliding it along your lips with an applicator or brush.

 

Which is better? 

It totally depends on what you’re most comfortable using or what type of lip effect you’re trying to create.

For example:

For my “Worn-In” lipstick look I used a regular crayon lipstick. 

It was perfect for smudging. 

Liquid lipstick typically dries matte or patent, so it wouldn’t look ideal for a worn-in, blotted effect.

 

For my Blinged Out/Bejeweled lipstick look I also used a traditional lipstick. 

However, liquid lipstick would work just as well, if not better in getting the gems to stick.

 

For my Bold Ombre Lipstick look I used liquid lipsticks. 

They gave me more precision and the ability to trace the lip line. 

Alternatively, you could use a lip liner, but I think the easiest way to go for this bold ombre effect is with liquid lipsticks.

Enough Chatting, How do I Create These Fall Lipstick Looks?

Scroll on for tutorials of my three lipstick looks!

You also can catch my video tutorial here

Lipstick Look #1 “Worn-In” Lipstick

1.  Basic Red Lipstick: To start, you really just want to rough out the shape of your lips. 

Lightly fill in your lips as you go, don’t worry about being too precise. 

Don’t apply too much lipstick.

2. Use Your Finger & Smudge: Next, use your finger to rub and smudge the lipstick around your lips. And that will pretty much finish off this look. Really simple and easy to achieve.

And these steps will give us...

Our "Worn-In" Lipstick look!

Really quick and simple to create. 

It's like a blotted lipstick look. Or a I-forgot-to-reapply-my lipstick-look 😅

"Worn-In" lipstick is perfect for everyday looks because it isn't too over the top and can be created in about two minutes. With minimal effort you can have trending fall lips!

 Traditional lipstick is your best bet to create this trend. 

Liquid lipstick would be sticky and a bit of a mess.

The only product I used for my "Worn-In" Lipstick is Colourpop's Lippie Stix in Trust Me.

Lipstick Look #2 Blinged Out/Bejeweled Lipstick

1.  Coat Lips with Red Lipstick: Cover lips with red lipstick. 

We want the lips more saturated in color than our first look.

I used the same lip crayon as I did for my “Worn-In” lipstick, a liquid lipstick would work fine as well.

2. Apply Red Gems to Lips: Take several self-adhesive, rounded red rhinestone face gems (I got mine from Amazon) and stick them onto your bottom lip using tweezers and light pressure.

I tried just pressing them on with my fingers, but it messed up my lipstick a bit.

I placed about 11 gems of varying smaller and larger sizes along my lower lip.

And the final result was...

Blinged Out/Bejeweled Lipstick!

You can totally add more gems for a fuller jeweled look.

Or just use one in the center of your top or bottom lip for extra drama.

I was very aware that these gems were on my lips and mildly concerned about swallowing one 😂

Definitely not an everyday, running to the store look. You can't really eat or drink with them on.

But, how gorgeous for a party or upscale event where drama and fashion are job one.

Removing the gems is pretty easy, you just pull and they pop off.

I wouldn't recommend reusing the gems, one because of sanitary concerns, two I don't think they would stick as well.

This bejeweled lipstick is fun to create, but it does take a little extra time to apply all the gems.

The two products I used for my Blinged Out/Bejeweled lips:

Colourpop: Lippie Stix in Trust Me

Teenitor: Face Gems Self Adhesive Face Rhinestones

Lipstick Look #3 Ombre Lipstick

1. Red Liquid Lipstick: Start by coating lips with a red liquid lipstick.

Note: I loved NYX Liquid Suede lipsticks, but in a true lipstick travesty they have been discontinued (Come on, NYX!). Their "replacement" is alright but in my opinion inferior.

But an equally affordable dupe for their now discontinued red shade Kitten Heels is Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Clock Out.

2. Dark Purple Liquid Lipstick Line: Using a deep purple liquid lipstick trace along your lip line.

Drag some of the purple lipstick towards the center of your lips with your finger to start blending into the red. Don't worry if you get too much purple in the center, you can always add more red.

Dupe: For NYX Liquid Suede in Subversive Socialite, try Sephora Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick in 52 Dark Purple.

3. Concealer Clean Up: On a small brush take a concealer that matches your skin tone and clean up any excessive lip color that has escaped you lip line.

I also used a powder foundation on a triangle sponge to set the concealer.

Put it all together and you get...

A Bold Ombre Lipstick look!

I couldn't stop laughing at myself throughout putting this look together. 

First it looked like I painted on a mustache, then like I was some sad clown.

This picture is my attempt at not laughing 😂

Tip: Control your laughter until the lipstick dries or it will end up drying with a slight smudge in the upper corner like mine 😅

Very bold, dramatic lips. Perfect for a party or night out

It does take a bit more time to create this lipstick look than the other two so allow yourself the time and don't rush (or laugh!)

And in an ideal situation you wouldn't be applying three lipsticks back to back.

But either way, show your lips some love at the end of the day with some lip scrub and follow up with a good moisturizing balm.

Products I used for my Bold Ombre Lipstick look:

NYX: Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Kitten Heels

NYX: Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Subversive Socialite

Maybelline: Fit Me Concealer in Ivory

MAC: Studio Fix Powder in NW10

Again, you can watch my video tutorials here

That's a wrap on these three lipstick trends for fall.

If you liked this post you will also enjoy my Color Blocked Eyeshadow Tutorial Fall

And don't forget to subscribe so you will get my latest posts delivered right to your inbox 📧

Thank you so much for stopping by!

I really appreciate it!

Come back soon 😉

XOXO 

Ultima Beauty 

Want more makeup fun between blog posts? Check out my social media pages!

Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter

Follow me on Facebook 

Follow me on TikTok 

Follow me on Threads

Subscribe on YouTube

Too Faced | Maple Syrup Pancakes Eyeshadow Palette | Review & Tutorial

 

Happy fall beauties!

 

It’s officially fall as we have now passed the autumnal equinox (good news for people like me who have been staring at their cable knit sweaters since August).

So break out the cardigans and pumpkin spice everything. Head to a bonfire or corn maze. 

But first, check out my review and tutorial of one of the loveliest new eyeshadow palettes for fall!

 

Too Faced Cosmetics Maple Syrup Pancakes eyeshadow palette!

And today (September 26) just happens to be National Pancake Day 🥞

So grab yourself a stack and get ready to read my review and tutorial of Too Faced's Maple Syrup Pancakes palette 😁

REVIEW

You can watch my video review here

This palette has the cutest pancakes and syrup design on the cover.

The cover colors are warm & inviting pinks and orange-browns.

The palette itself is cardboard, different for the metal tin that I'm more familiar with.

So it is a little less sturdy, but I think it would still hold up in travel.

The Maple Syrup Pancakes palette has a very light maple syrup scent.

Nothing overpowering though, which I appreciate because I'm not a fan of overly strong scents in my makeup.

Upon opening the palette, your eyes are greeted by absolutely gorgeous shades.

Some sparkle, some have beautiful sheens. The color range gives so much variety, more than some of the other Too Faced palettes in the past.

The palette also contains a good sized mirror.

There are 18 different eyeshadows in this palette.

Seven (7) metallic finish shadows, four (4) with matte finishes, four (4) with a shimmer finish, and three (3) with a satiny finish.

The variety of shades makes this palette incredibly versatile. 

You can use the lighter shimmer shades for just a hint of highlight on the brow bone and lids.

Or you could use some of the brown matte shades for a more neutral, casual look.

Or you can create full-on party eyes with the colorful metallics.

The possibilities are endless!

The shimmer shades are lightly saturated for just the right amount of sparkle.

The matte shades are soft (but not crumbly) and buttery for an amazingly blendable experience.

The metallic shades are so pigmented that they only require one or two swipes with a brush or finger to achieve the pan shade, and a foil-like finish.

The satin shades have the most smooth, luxurious feel as you blend them across your eye.

Quick Stats:

Brand: Too Faced

Product: Eyeshadow palette

Color: Multiple

Finish: Matte (4), Metallic (7), Shimmer (4), Satin (3)

Formula: Pressed Powder

Fallout: Very little

Chalky/Flaky :  No/No

Blendable: Yes (very!)

Lasts for: 12+ Hours

 

Pros: Extremely long-lasting; I wore these shades for 12-hours with no creasing, smudging, or fading.

Excellent pigments with true color payoff (the shade you see is the shade you get).

Blendable and buildable to achieve whatever look you want to create. 

 

Cons: There is a tiny bit of fallout with some of the shimmers.

Swatches

There are so many shades in this palette I had to use two arms 😅

 Powdered Sugar – Cool Pastel Pink, Satin finish with silver white sparkles

Serve Hot – Claret Red, Metallic finish

Short Stack – Cool Walnut Brown, Matte finish

Breakfast in Bed – Lavender with silver & purple shimmer

Get Sticky – Light Rose Gold, Metallic finish

Cup O’ Joe – Ink Black with multi-colored shimmer

Flapjack – Brownish Pink, Matte finish

Sleepin’ In – Hot Pink, Metallic finish

Morning Matcha – Olive Green, Satin finish

Fork Yeah – Gray Slate, Metallic finish

Side of Fruit – Golden Green, Metallic finish

Kiss My Griddle – Coffee Brown with multi-colored shimmer

Blueberry Jam – Dark Blue, Satin finish with silver sparkle

Hazel-Nuts! – Burnt Sienna, Matte finish 

A La Mode – Light Violet, Metallic finish

Maple Syrup – Russet Brown, Metallic finish

Brunch Bubbles – Pink Champagne with silver shimmer

Haute Cakes – Hickory Brown, Matte finish 

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ( 5 out of 5)

Would I Re-Purchase: Yes

 

Final Thoughts: The Maple Syrup Pancakes eyeshadow palette has so much to offer. 

No matter what makeup mood I'm in this palette can give me what I need.

From the rich mattes to the sparkling shimmers, to the shiny metallics, all the way to the silky satins these shadows do not disappoint.

The staying power is unbelievable and the color pigments are so strong these shadows will last a while.

I wish this wasn't a limited edition because I could see myself re-purchasing this palette again and again.

Tutorial

Now that you love this palette as much as I do, I have a tutorial you can follow to create an eyeshadow look using your Too Faced Maple Syrup Pancakes eyeshadow palette!

You can watch my video tutorial here

1. Flapjacks & Blending Brushes: Start with the shade Flapjacks (Matte Brownish Pink) and buff that through the crease of the eye, rounding just slightly. 

Continue to build color and buff it through the crease until you get a good color saturation.

Then grab a blending brush and blend it back and forth to diffuse and soften the Flapjacks shade.

Blend upwards a little, towards the browbone.

2. Get Sticky + Concealer Brush: On a flat concealer brush take the shade Get Sticky (Metallic Rose Gold) and place it onto the eye lid with an even pressured swipe. Press and pack more of the shade onto the lid until you get the desired color intensity.

3. Blueberry Jam & Black Eyeliner: On a small angled eyeshadow brush use the shade Blueberry Jam (Dark Blue Satin) and press it onto the top lash line tightly, close to the lashes. Continue across the lash line and wing it out just the slightest at the outer lid. We just want a little extra definition and color.

Then take a black pencil liner and run it along the lower water line.

4. Sip a Cup O' Joe & Brunch Bubbles: On a flat definer brush use the shade Cup O' Joe (Ink Black Shimmer) and trace it along the lower lash line stopping about 3/4 across, leaving the inner corners of the eye empty for now.

Then take the shade Brunch Bubbles (Pink Champagne Shimmer) on a small eyeshadow brush and dust it onto the inner corners of the eyes that we left clean.

5. Powdered Sugar, Mascara & Concealer: Top off your pancakes eyeshadow with a dusting of Powdered Sugar (Cool Pastel Pink Satin) on the brow bones.

Coat top and bottom lashes with volumizing mascara (for fall I like Benefit Cosmetics Fan Fest).

Then clean up any little bit of fallout under the eyes (there wasn't much) with a concealer.

6. Contour & Highlight: To put the rest of the face together use a contour shade and gently run it under cheek bones for subtle definition.

Take a cream stick highlighter (I'm loving NYX Jumbo Face Stick) and lightly press it onto the tops of cheeks, blending with your finger.

7. Blush & Lipstick: To complete this look, use a matte neutral pink blush and lightly dust it on the apples of the cheeks. 

Finally, take a neutral berry lipstick and coat the lips.

Put all these steps together and you will get...

My finished Too Faced Maple Syrup Pancakes eyeshadow look!

The brownish pink and rose gold shadows compliment each other nicely and the berry lipstick pulls the whole look together.

The other shades from the palette subtly add extra sparkle and dimension to the eyes without overpowering the main shades.

These eyeshadows lasted through humidity, steam from washing dishes and baking, extra exertion practicing golf outside and walking my dog.

Awesome staying power.

The metallics (on lid) really give a shiny foil appearance that is hard to capture on camera but the way they look when the light hits them and shifts is really beautiful!

Products I used for my Maple Syrup Pancake Tutorial:

Too Faced: Maple Syrup Pancakes Eyeshadow Palette

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Flapjack

Vasanti: Contour Eyeshadow Brush 4

MAC: 217 Blending Brush

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Get Sticky

Beau Gâchis: Concealer Brush

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Blueberry Jam

Luxie Beauty: Rose Gold Mini Angled Eye Brush 131

Beautique: Defining Eye Pencil in Black

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Cup O’ Joe

Luxie Beauty: Rose Gold Flat Definer Brush 221

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Brunch Bubbles

Costal Scents: Ipsy Pearl Limited Edition Precision Pencil Brush

Too Faced: Eyeshadow in Powdered Sugar

Coastal Scents: Ipsy Pearl Medium Shadow Brush

Benefit Cosmetics: Fan Fest Mascara

Tarte: Double Duty Beauty™ Shape Tape™ Concealer in N12 Fair Neutral

Nomad Cosmetics: Sydney Bathers Kiss Of Sun Bronzer & Contour Powder in Manly Beach

Luxie Beauty: Rose Gold Large Angled Face Brush 504

NYX: Jumbo Multi-Use Face Stick in Vanilla Ice Cream

Space Case Cosmetics: Blush in It's Not Me, It's My Sign

F.A.R.A.H: Contour 218M in Midnight Blue

Dito Cosmetics: Ice Cream Liquid Lipstick in Babe

Here is another eyeshadow look you can create using Too Faced's Maple Syrup Pancakes Eyeshadow Palette:

Hazel-Nuts! (Crease Shade)

A La Mode (Lid Shade)

Fork Yeah (Outer Lid Shade)

Cup O' Joe (Lower Lash Line Shade)

Powdered Sugar (Brow Bone & Inner Corner of Eyes Shade)

You can also see Too Faced's Maple Syrup Pancakes Eyeshadow Palette in action in my Metallic Fall Eyeshadow tutorial here

Again, you can watch my video review & tutorial here

  

That is my review and tutorial of Too Faced Maple Syrup Pancakes eyeshadow palette.

Thank you so much for reading, I really appreciate it.

If you like Too Faced, you should check out my review and tutorial of their Italian Spritz eyeshadow palette here

And why not subscribe to my blog so you will get my next post delivered straight to your inbox📬

I'll see you next time! 😉

XOXO

Ultima Beauty

Want more makeup fun between blog posts? Check out my social media pages!

Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter

Follow me on Facebook 

Follow me on TikTok 

Follow me on Threads

Subscribe on YouTube